Game Day Central | Illinois 28, Virginia 28; 3:30 left 1st half

Comply with alongside all afternoon as Illinois tries to win the Foremost Occasion in Las Vegas:

***

Whereas Illinois and Virginia have by no means performed, Brad Underwood has coached towards each Armaan Franklin and Ben Vander Plas (whereas additionally making an attempt to recruit the latter this previous offseason). Here is how Franklin and Vander Plas fared of their earlier video games towards (not these) Illini:

– Franklin confronted Illinois as soon as throughout his freshman yr at Indiana and was held scoreless in 5 minutes of taking part in time. He was extra profitable as a sophomore, scoring 23 factors in a loss in Champaign and 11 in a house loss.

– Vander Plas performed simply as soon as towards Illinois in the course of the 2020-21 COVID season in that arranged-out-of-thin-air MTE in Champaign. Ohio misplaced, however Vander Plas put up 20 factors, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and two assists.

***

Only one St. Vincent-St. Mary’s child shouting out one other.

Illinois freshman guard Sencire Harris, who attended LeBron James’ alma mater and likewise performed for Dru Joyce II, was low key the Illinois MVP on Friday night time towards UCLA. Sure, Terrence Shannon Jr. tied the Illini’s single-game file with eight made three-pointers (on 9 makes an attempt, no much less) and scored a game-high 29 factors, however Illinois most likely would not have been in place to win with out Harris. He epitomized “prompt the bench” and altered the entire dynamic of the sport together with his protection.

***

Illinois is leaning in once more on what must be the predominant coloration within the T-Cell Enviornment stands this afternoon in Las Vegas by carrying orange. 

It is protected to say that Illini followers most likely like 75 p.c of the stands Friday night time. Most likely ought to have had a clue about that when the tickets within the main Illinois part (all 4 fan bases acquired one) had been offered out in an exceedingly fast timeframe. 

Attendance on Friday was listed at 8,707. So, a bit of basic math means there have been about 6,500 Illinois followers on the recreation. We’ll see what this afternoon brings. I might anticipate extra of the identical.

***

There is no higher match “trophy” throughout Feast Week than the one handed out to the winner of the Continental Tire Foremost Occasion. It is pure Las Vegas … an sincere to God championship belt.

Whoever takes dwelling stated belt this weekend can have actually earned it. The Maui Invitational, particularly because it’s truly again in Maui, continues to be the premier Feast Week school basketball match. 

When it comes to sheer firepower, although? It was robust to beat the Foremost Occasion subject in Las Vegas. All 4 groups had been ranked within the high 20 of the newest AP Prime 25, and the extent of play in Friday’s semifinals lived as much as these rankings. Virginia used a monster run to begin the second half to beat a high 10 Baylor staff. Then Illinois mounted its personal second half comeback to beat … a high 10 UCLA staff.

There have been most likely loads who thought it could be Beas-Bruins within the title recreation. They’re going to nonetheless play. It can simply be for third place.

The championship is all orange and blue. Illinois and Virginia. Becoming, actually, contemplating these two fan bases SHOWED OUT in Las Vegas. There have been small pockets of Baylor and UCLA followers. Illinois and Virginia followers principally stuffed the world (or not less than the underside half that is not curtained off).

So it is perhaps a midday Sunday recreation in Las Vegas with the Foremost Occasion title on the road, however the environment must be wild. Like to see it.

Scott Richey is a reporter protecting school basketball at The Information-Gazette. His e mail is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you may comply with him on Twitter (@srrichey).